Cinema do Brasil in Cannes with strong project lineup and extensive industry programme

The Brazilian film industry has been enjoying a golden era of cinema, with The Secret Agent and I’m Still Here winning recognition at international awards ceremonies and festivals around the world.

Leading the charge is Cinema do Brasil, the country’s international promotion and marketing body, which has been at the forefront of championing the Brazilian film sector around the world for two decades. It brings a strong delegation to Cannes, along with a choice selection of films in various stages of production and an extensive industry programme to the market.

“The number of activities this year, approximately 25, reflects the high demand for Brazilian cinema,” says Cinema do Brasil president André Sturm, who founded the promotion and marketing body in 2006 with the producers guild SIAESP and in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil). “As Cinema do Brasil celebrates 20 years promoting Brazilian cinema worldwide, we continue to build bridges between Brazil and the global industry, fostering co-productions, expanding market access and positioning Brazil as a strategic partner in the global audiovisual landscape.”

The Cinema do Brasil stand (Palais-1 | Stand 26.01) serves as a “country embassy” and a key networking point. It is the central hub for meetings, co-production encounters, panels, talks and networking events conceived to strengthen international partnerships and generate business opportunities for Brazilian companies and talent in the global market.

Cannes 2025

Last year’s big success in the festival was Kleber Mendonça Filho’s political thriller The Secret Agent, which went on to win best director and best actor at the festival, and received four Oscar nominations.

“Having a film in Competition is always a privilege, but how many countries have managed that every single year? Brazil is still in the spotlight thanks to its presence at the last two Oscars,” says Sturm, referring also to Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here, which won Brazil its first best international feature film Oscar in 2025.

This year Brazil has a presence in Competition as co-producer with the US and Italy on James Gray’s crime drama Paper Tiger, which is co-produced by Rodrigo Teixeira’s RT Features (I’m Still Here). The São Paulo-based company is also behind Directors’ Fortnight title La Perra, directed by Dominga Sotomayor and co-produced by Chile’s Planta.

The various Brazilian films at the market give international buyers, sales agents and festival programmers a taste of what’s in the pipeline. One of the highlights is Tiago Melo’s Yellow Cake, a science-fiction satire about a group of scientists trying to eradicate the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Produced by Urânio Filmes, which is based in the Amazon region, the film had its world premiere in competition at Rotterdam International Film Festival earlier this year.

Japan partnership

This year’s series of panels and conferences addressing industry trends and creating opportunities for international collaboration includes an initiative to strengthen the link between Brazil and Japan, which is the country of honour at the market. Film collaboration between the two countries is still largely unexplored, despite their strong cultural ties.

Brazil is home to the world’s largest Japanese community outside Japan of approximately 2 million people. Deep connections have been fostered through more than 130 years of diplomatic relations and massive popular culture exchanges. “The potential is enormous for joint stories, partnerships, co-productions,’’ emphasises Sturm.

In addition to Japan, Cinema do Brasil’s co-production and matchmaking activities are designed to connect Brazilian producers with potential partners from Germany, Portugal, Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and UK.

Networking and social events include brunches, cocktails and happy hours, bringing together producers, institutions, sales agents, distributors and festival representatives from around the world.

With Brazilian cinema enjoying such success at major film festivals, meetings are scheduled with key organisations and markets in the sector including the Berlinale, Sundance Institute, Berlinale Talents, Toronto International Film Festival, Locarno Pro and Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market.

Strong presence

Cinema do Brasil arrives in Cannes with a delegation of 57 associate companies and nearly 80 professionals, including production companies and distributors from different regions. Brazil’s participation this year is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Spcine, CreativeSP,

RioFilme and +Mulheres, as well as the national film agency Ancine.

It is the fifth consecutive year the São Paulo state government is participating in the market through the CreativeSP programme, which promotes São Paulo’s creative economy on the international stage.

“This year, we are supporting 10 production companies that reflect the diversity, experience and international reach of our audiovisual sector,’’ says Marilia Marton, São Paulo state secretary for culture, creative economy and industries. They include Aqueles Filmes, Gullane, Maria Farinha Filmes, Muiraquitã Filmes and MyMama Entertainment. “Aqueles Filmes is known for developing projects with a strong contemporary identity and a focus on genre narratives. Its most recent project Levantados Do Chão has been selected for the Blood Window Showcase at the Fantastic Pavilion in Cannes,” adds Marton.

For Marton, Brazil not having films in the main competition this year makes it even more important that the state government is present on the Croisette. “Consistent international promotion policies are important to ensure São Paulo’s audiovisual industry remains globally competitive,” she notes. “We work in Cannes precisely on the structural side, creating co-production, distribution and financing opportunities.”

Great expectations

Last year, Cannes was São Paulo state’s most successful mission for the audiovisual industries, with more than brl88m ($18m) in projected business and an estimated 2,000 jobs created. “In 2026, the expectation is to surpass it, driven by the increase in the number of co-production meetings and the consolidation of international partnerships built over the past few years,” says Marton.

For Anna Paula Montini, president of Spcine, São Paulo city’s film and audiovisual company, Brazil’s global recognition is creating opportunities to further strengthen the sector. “Cases such as The Secret Agent, which shot in our city with support from São Paulo Film Commission, demonstrate the creative and production capacity of the region,” she says.

With this in mind, Spcine has been increasing investment throughout the audiovisual sector. In 2026, some brl60m ($12.3m) will be allocated to development, production and distribution. “These resources are fundamental for local producers to sustain their projects and position themselves internationally,” notes Montini.

Ten professionals and 12 companies from São Paulo are supported by Spcine in Cannes, including Enquadramento Produções, which co-produced Abinash Bikram Shah’s Un Certain Regard selection Elephants In The Fog, alongside Undergound Talkies and Jayantii Creations from Nepal, Bubbles Project from Brazil, France’s Les Valseurs, Die Gesellschaft and Zischlermann Films from Germany and Storm Films from Norway.

Another highlight from São Paulo city is Nina Kopko’s The Last Dog On Earth project from Boulevard Filmes. Selected for this year’s La Fabrique Cinéma, the Institute Français’ programme for emerging filmmakers from the global south, it was the winner of the Spcine Núcleos Criativos grant in 2023.

For Spcine, Cannes also represents the chance to develop institutional partnerships. The company is betting on collaborative models that connect funds and institutions to support audiovisual production at all stages, from development to production. One example is HBF+Brazil, which was launched in Cannes last year, an initiative supported by Spcine, RioFilme and Projeto Paradiso, and managed by International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund.

“We are meeting again to discuss the experience and the programme’s continuation; and negotiations are underway with new partners, including potential collaborations with South Korea, which will reinforce São Paulo city’s international position as a co-production hub,” says Montini.